by Jeff Renton, media/communications, Woodbine Entertainment Group

TORONTO – In the C$45,200 final of the Snowshoe Pacing Series Friday evening at Woodbine, Shark Time ($2.60, $2.40, $2.10) and driver Rick Zeron went to the lead before the half and never trailed thereafter, thus sweeping the event for three and four-year-olds.

WEG Photo

Shark Time swept the Snowshoe Pacing Series with a win in the final Friday evening at Woodbine.

Bet down to 1-5 odds at post time, the pair left modestly from the rail spot and got away fourth before the :27.2 opening quarter lit up. Zeron then sent his mount, a four-year-old Cams Card Shark gelding, first-over and cleared before the half-mile indicator came to life in: 56.3.

The duo were first to the three-quarters pole (1:24.4) and came home to stop the clock in 1:55-flat, bettering Stonebridge Wish ($10.70, $5.50) and driver Roger Mayotte by three-quarters of a length.

With a catch-driving Mario Baillargeon at the helm, Corky Baran ($2.80) got up for third after working out a pocket trip and finished 3½ lengths back of Shark Time.

The exactor returned $28 and the triactor $82.60.

Hide And Seek (driven by John Thomson) and Quickful Bliss (Paul MacDonell) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Shark Time, who is out of the Falcon Almahurst mare Continental Time, is conditioned by Wayne Preszcator for Pennsylvania-based owners Bryn Mawr and Bowl Stables.

Now a winner of six career races, Shark Time captured the final in the same way he snatched divisions in the series’ preliminary legs. In both instances, he had gotten away close to the front, had tipped out first-over and grabbed the lead prior to the halfway point of the dash.

Reve D Amerik to take his shot in Glorys Comet Sunday

Many expected Y Chance It to notch a victory last Sunday and become Canada’s newest millionaire performer, although Reve D Amerik and driver Mario Baillargeon had some ideas of their own in the second leg of the Glorys Comet Trotting Series.

When Y Chance It seemed to lose some steam while leading in the lane, Baillargeon and the five-year-old Fill V gelding were there to pick up the pieces after closing from fourth off the final turn.

Thus a rematch will occur in the C$89,500 final of the Glorys Comet, which will highlight Sunday afternoon’s (Jan. 21) 10-race card from the Toronto oval.

“He hadn’t been 100 per cent,” said Ben Baillargeon, trainer of Reve D Amerik. “I was having some trouble with his feet, but he came into the series in pretty good shape after putting in three third-place finishes in a row.

“He’s firing on all cylinders right now. He came out of the second leg in good shape – everything is working well with him right now.”

The 17-career winner has a mark of 1:53.2 and won his second leg split after finishing a solid fourth in his opening round division.

“He came first-over in the opening leg and finished fourth, beaten less than three lengths after starting from the 10-hole,” said Baillargeon, 49, who calls Rockwood, Ontario home. “He trotted his last quarter in 28 seconds and I thought he raced well. In the second leg, I didn’t really like his chances at the three-quarters pole because of the slow fractions, but he came another good last quarter [:27.4].”

Baillargeon has hooked Reve D Amerik for 23 starts since getting him from Quebec-based trainer Lionel Ravary in the spring of 2006. The gelding seems to thrive under the care of Baillargeon, as the gelding has notched 10 victories (including a five-race win streak last summer) and five other on-the-board finishes since moving into his care.

“He’s a fast horse with good stamina and he’s tough, which I think comes from his mother’s side,” Baillargeon said of Reve D Amerik, who is owned by Germaine Ravary and Madeleine Lefebvre of Quebec. “But, if you pull up his lines, they will show you that you need patience with this horse. The lines show a lot of breaks and qualifiers, but he’s coming into this race in good shape.”

In terms of Sunday’s tilt, Baillargeon is well aware that the field for the Glorys Comet is top notch and full of speed, which should help his charge out.

“He’s not a big ‘leaver’ off the gate, so I’m hoping that the trip will work out,” said Baillargeon. “With Southwind Rome, Wide Angle Hanover, Y Chance It and some others on the outside of the gate, too, there will be a lot of speed to chase.”

The Glorys Comet Trotting Series is an Open event that was available to participants four years of age and older.

The field for the final is listed below.

GLORYS COMET TROTTING SERIES – C$89,500 FINAL

Head Number – Horse – Post Position – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds

1 – Wide Angle Hanover – pp3 – J Jamieson – P Wellwood – 5-2

1A – Southwind Rome – pp4 – W O’Donnell – P Wellwood – 5-2

2 – Reve D Amerik – pp1 – M Baillargeon – B Baillargeon – 8-1

3 – Adam T – pp2 – K Oliver – D O’Brian – 12-1

4 – Dink Adoo – pp5 – L Ouellette – A Haughan – 10-1

5 – Texas Photo – pp6 – R Zeron – K Klages – 6-1

6 – Y Chance It – pp7 – P MacDonell – R O’Neill – 2-1

7 – Self Righteous – pp8 – C Christoforou – T O’Sullivan – 8-1

8 * Stiletto – pp9 – J Moiseyev – A Montini – 8-1

9 – Alpha Entura – pp10 – Ma MacDonald – J Gillis – 20-1

AE1 – Armbro Chronicle – ppAE1 – W O’Donnell – K Baker – 20-1

Note: All horses will be racing from the Retention Barn.